Dispensing device



Patented Dec. ld, 1943 DISPENSING DEVICE Paul E. Moes, West Orange, and Michael E. Mc- Gowan, Bloomfield, N. J., assignors to Westinghouse Electric t Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsyl- Vania Application .lune 20, i941, Serial No. 398,936

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a dispensing device, and more particularly to gas charging apparatus which, in the present disclosure, is specifically a mercury doser for lamps utilizing mercury vapor.

Various devices and methods have been employed heretofore in the manufacture of lamps and the like, wherein is required a small quantity of mercury or other fluid material, for introducing the charging material into the envelope. Several obstacles not heretofore fully overcome are encountered in connection with introduction of the fluid. Uniformity of dosage under varying conditions of fluid level, vacuum degree, speed of operation and similar factors, should be maintained. Avoidance of contamination of the fluid and feeding only clean uid material are essential. Yet the best known doser heretofore employed presents a large open passage from the exhaust connection on the lamp to the area above the reservoir of nuid, enabling glass or other contamination from a broken lamp or other source to find refuge in the reservoir. That same doser likewise has the pick-up means so situated and operated that the contamination on the surface of the fluid can be and is picked up and fed into lamps being dosed, to their detriment. Frequent cleaning of such dosers is accordingly necessary with attendant loss of much of the dosing material.

An object of the present invention is to accurately measure and deliver to the lamp the desred dosage of uid material in precise amount during evacuation of the lamp.

Another object of the present invention is to feed only clean, uncontaminated fluid dosing material.

A further object of the present invention is to avoid varying head of dosing material in the reservoir or varying degree of evacuation adversely influencing the supply of dosing material fed to each lamp.

A still further object of the present invention is to avoid frequent cleaning of the reservoir and to avoid waste and loss of the dosing material L due to frequent cleaning.

Yet another object of the invention is to avoid introduction of pressure variation in the doser or lamp due to reciprocation of mechanism there- 1n;

Still further objects of the invention will appear to those skilled in the art as the description progresses, both by direct statement thereof and by implication from the context.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein like numerals of reference indicate similar yparts throughout the several views, and wherein a preferred physical embodiment of the invention is disclosed by way of example:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the selected and preferred uid charging apparatus mounted in operative position upon the exhaust machine, a portion only of which is indicated, and in charging relationship to a lamp likewise shown only in part;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the charging apparatus at the valve level through the reservoir on line II--II of Figure l;

Figures 3 and 4 are vertical sectional views through the valve and delivery tube substantially on line III-III of Fig. 2, showing respectively the charge-receiving and charge-delivering positions of the valve gate;

Figures 5 and 6 are vertical sectional views on line V-V of Figures 1 and 2 showing the valve gate controlling cam in the positions which obtain placement of the valve gate in the chargereceiving and charge-delivering positions of Figures 3 and 4 respectively; and

Figure 7 is a plan of the valve gate.

1n the specific embodiment-of the invention illustrated in said drawing, the reference numeral lll designates the revolving conveyor or other part of the exhaust machine on which the fluid charging apparatus ofthe present invention is mounted and with which said apparatus is utilized. Inasmuch as apparatus for exhausting and uid charging lamp kbulbs is well known, in its general aspects, in the art, this part of the mechanism is only fragmentarily illustrated in order to show relationship therewith of the improvement embodying the present invention. It may be stated, however, that the conveyor lil provides a pinch jaw housing Il in which is mounted a rubber tube connection l2 flanged at its'up'per end and retained by an encompassing tting i3 screwed into thevtop of the jaw housing. The lower end of said rubber tube I2 is shown opening downwardly and receives the exhaust tube lll temporarily formed as part of the lamp iii being manufactured. Above and in continuation of the passage through the rubber tube'l2, said tting I3 provides a vertical central passage It the upper end of which is ilared and threaded and receives a threaded bottom nipple Il on our improved fluid charging apparatus, which 'is thereby mounted in place. From one side of the fitting I3, in communication with the said passage IS therein, is a lateral connection i8 to end thereof.

the exhaust pump (not shown) of the exhausting machine.

The fluid charging apparatus of the present invention preferably comprises a cylindrical body portion I9, with said nipple l1 projecting axially from the bottomthereof. The interior of this cylindrical body portion comprises a `charnber or reservoir 20 which accommodates certain hereinafter described mechanism and a supply or deep pool of the charging fluid 2l. such as mercury. The upper end of the body-portion is suitably faced to receive aV gasket 22 upon which seats the lower flange 23 'of a stacklilie casing 2li, the upper end 25 ofwhichisfdosed.

A screw cap 26 overlies saidiiange A2 3 with antifriction means 21 interposed, the threaded skirt portion of the cap screwing onto the Akoutside upper margin of the body portionl. 'The structure thus described provides for a top closure for the reservoir which maybereadilyremoved for relling the reservoirand replaced tightly with ease,and which is vacuum tight.

Centrally uprightat thelbottom ofthe reservoir is situated a delivery tube @Shaving it'spassage in communication with thepassage H in the fitting.V The specic construction s hownfprovides an integral peripheral rib 29 on the delivery tube seated in'a corresponding socket in the bottom of the reservoir, and with the tube extending both up and down from saidrib. Thelower extendingy portion yof said tube l28 p rotr udes from the bottom of nipple Il, is threaded and receives a nut 3!! which rigidly holds the'tube and tightly seats said rib 29 thereof, with a vacuum-tight seal. However, Vat the outside of the tube below said rib is provided a'bleeder channel'l which extends, as well; through the threaded-portion of the nut 30. An intercepting channel 32 coinmunicates with bleederl channel 3 I, being suitably formed in the body'portion land'opening into the reservoir 20near the top thereof atv 3 2 so yas to be always above thepool levelof the charging fluid. Equalizatiqnof the negative Ypressure due to exhausting from Vthe exhaust machine pump is accordingly eiected; and yet the bleeder channel operates'a's a preventative Vto passage of 'glass-or other'extraneous matter passing'to the Y reservoir. l

An essential feature ofthe "present invention Yresides in the valvestructure.nearthe bottom and within the reservoir, for measuring a globule Vof the charging uid and passing ittothedelivery tube A28 land thence to the larm..'lhisvalve4 33 preferably comprises a. pairA of` horizontally disposed parallel platesv 3d, 35` integrally` formed with an intervening. spinegportion next. one The IOWSLOHS, i5. of. said .plates is .apertured at itsmiddle part and; mounted, with .a` pressed fit orotherwisepermanently o n Sl/.else

Substantially, cun. therewith, Between plates34, 35 is 1n ovide :d z i Yvalve gate 37 also in a horizontal position and havinga thickness substantially equal to the'spacing between said plates. This gateis'pivtally'niounted t0 swing in its own plane and one extreme position of its 'amplitude of swing' provides a measuringY orce '38 which will register 'with the Uupper openng ofsaid delivery tubeZS. Theup'per `4"plate, howevenabove 'said delivery' tub'ejand on- Vlice when thus'situated and as shown in Figuresl Vand 3is solid, thereby 'preventingv ingress Vofjiiuid "tothe orifice, but 'egress'of the'globule ofliluid "'75 direct communication with the charging fluid which respectively overlies and underlies said openings and, accordingly, freely enters said openings at top and bottom of the valve structure.. Thus, when gate orice 38 registers with alined openings 3Q, 39 .above and below it, no air 'pocket results 'and the orifice is entirely filled with the Y charging iiuid. As .the gate swings again, the charging material is virtually sheared by the top andbottom edges of the orifice and a precisely measured globule of the material is carried within the orice.

Preferably said gate orifice 38 is roamed to have a downwardly outward flare, by virtue of which theV globule of material will be influenced by its inhei'entsuiface tension,` to form as a globule and readily drop into the delivery tube 2B upon registration Yof uthe gate orifice with said tube. It has also been found advantageous to avoid smoothing or polishing the orifice or other parts in engagement with the mercury. Surface tension withinthe mercury has been found to exceed its tendency towardamalgamation and capillary adhesion to the orifice Yand'otherwalls when saidwalls have a machined finish as distinguisliedfrom a smoothed or polished nish. Furthermorefreaming said orifice enables the same to bebrougllt to aprecise capacity for the desired quantityofthe charging material, and, in rcombination with the rshearing effect above explained,V Yabsolute measurement is obtained eachtime the gate is swung.

The meehanism for swinging -the gateincludes provision of a solenoid cored@ slidablevertically and longitudinallywithin the stack-like casing 2d. This'core preferably has grooves l longitudinally thereoffor enabling vacuum pressure to equalize at both ends andai/oid either hinderance tooperation of the plunger-like'core cr creation of 'varying pressure inthe reservoir due to operation of the core in effecting its stroke in either "direction.

A solenoid 'coil '42 is situated in or brought into encircling relation to thek casing 2G aiidc'ore i5 at the `period of cycle of operationen the lamp when 'itis desired vto admit the charging dose. As will'be understood, the circuit connections i3 to thev solenoidfare under suitable timed energizing power 'supply toactuate the'sol'e'noid at the proper moment.

The lower end of core llprojects below casing flange 23 into' the top partrof yreservoir Ja-nd 4is provided withfan axially depending threaded stud all. A yoke l5 is carriedfat agnidpart'of itself by threaded engagement withsaid stud and retained in adjusted position by lock nu 655. 1 Said yoke, being transversejtothe stud, ishor ontally disposed,V and has va shape suchlthat uid Vmay readily pass between said'yokeand the sidewalls of the reservoir. kNext 'opposite end'portions of theV yoke are secured with respectjtiiereto two parallel vertical depending rods l?, fil', the axes of which are parallel to and equidistant on opposite sides of theextended axis 'of the solenoidcore.

One of these rodspasses 'slidably through a hole for the purpose iin"thespine portion '3 of the v alve 33 (see'Figures l" and2)', .whereasthe other rod Jpasses'slidably through plates 34,35V and gate '3l and constitutes the hinge or pivot for said gate.

Next the spine portion 33 of the valve, said vplates 3d, 35 have slots 48, 43 through which freely passes a vertically disposed bar-like cam member 139 parallel to and situated between the rods tl, lll with its flat sides facing said rods. This bar-like cam member 49 is olf-set from the axis of the solenoid core e on the far side from the rod il which acts as a hinge for the gate 31. The edge of the gate toward the bar-like cam is arcuate, with a center of curvature coincident with the hinging of the gate, and from a midpart of this arcuate edge projects horizontally a pin 5t. The bar cam has a diagonal or upwardly sloping cam slot 5l therein which receives pin 59 therethrough. The position and inclination of the slot and relation of the pin are arranged to effect an oscillation of the pin and gate resultant upon vertical reciprocation of the bar cam. Said bar cam is secured at its upper end, as by welding, to the underside of yoke l5 which, accordingly, obtains a horizontal oscillation of the gate by a vertical reciprocation of the solenoid core.

The various parts are so constructed and related that the solenoid core lil tends to assume its downward position under influence of gravity and the lower ends of rods 41, lll then engage the bottom wall of the reservoir as a limitation to downward movement, such position of parts being substantially existent in Figure 1. At such time, pin 5B is in the upper end of cam slot 5l as shown in Figure 5, and orice 38 of the gate 3l' is in charge receiving position in registration with plate openings 39, 39 as shown in Figures 2 and 4. When solenoid 42 is energized, core d is lifted, its upper extremity engaging upper end wall of the stack-line casing 2d as a stop. By virtue of the inclination of cam slot 5l, pin 5S is swung laterally thereby moving oriilce 33 out of registration with openings 39, 39 and into registration with the charge delivery tube 28, carrying a precisely measured globule of the charging material 2l to said tube.

It is to be observed that the solid Portion of gate 3l or solid portion of upper plate 34 are effective to obtain a constant seal with respect to the vacuum in tube 28 and the body of the charging material, but that the gate, swinging laterally with respect to said tube, does not have to overcome differential pressures in order to move from one position to the other. The charging material is obtained from the body thereof below its surface and accordingly carries no surface contamination into the lamp.

Since the various details of construction, as well as the precise relation and functioning of parts are subject to variation and change without departing from the inventive concept or scope of the invention, it is intended that all matterE contained in the specication or illustrated in the drawing, shall be interpreted as exemplary and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein shown and described and all statements of the scope of the invention herein set forth as a matter of language which might be said to fall therebetween.

We claim:

1. A fluid-charging apparatus comprising a body portion providing a reservoir and having a charge-delivering outlet through the bottom of 'said reservoir, a charge-delivering means in said reservoir above said outlet and movable horizontally across said outlet, said means having a measuring oriilce for delivery of a measured portion of fluid contents of said reservoir to said outlet, and vertically movable cam within the reservoir in direct operating contact with said charge-delivering means.

2. A fluid charging apparatus comprising a bodyvportion providing a reservoir for a fluid and-having a charge-delivering outlet, and valve means for obtaining egress of a measured portion of said uid from a part thereof below the fluid surface, said valve means being situated below said fluid surface and having a horizontal swinging movement in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom of said reservoir and to said uid surface, and operating means for said valve means, said operating means having a restricted vertical path of sliding and extending in part through said valve means, all moving parts being confined to the region within and above the reservoir.

3. A fluid charging apparatus comprising a body portion providing a reservoir for a fluid and having a charge-delivering outlet, a valve structure providing a pivoted valve means having a measuring oriilce and said valve structure having means for admitting fluid to said orifice at both the top and bottom thereof and having a part of said valve structure closing the top of said oriilce while dischargingthe fluid therein to the charge-delivering outlet, and operating means for swinging said pivoted valve means, said operating means providing a pivot slidable with respect to the valve means and also acting as a stop for said operating means.

4. A fluid-charging apparatus comprising a body portion providing a reservoir for a fluid and having a charge-delivering,outlet tube subject to evacuation, said body portion and tube providing a bleeder passage for equalizing pressure condition above the fluid in the reservoir to that of the tube, said bleeder passage preventing contamination reaching the tube to enter above the fluid level in the reservoir.

5. A fluid-charging apparatus comprising a body portion providing a reservoir for a fluid, a delivery tube in the bottom of said reservoir, a valve structure within the reservoir and carried upon the upper end of said tube below the fluid level in the reservoir, said valve structure including a, movable gate, and reciprocal means for operating said gate comprising a yoke in said body portion above said gate and having cam means in displacing engagement with said gate, said yoke also having means thereon for preventing rotation thereof and for limiting reciprocation thereof.

6. A fluid-charging apparatus comprising a body portion providing a reservoir for a fluid, a delivery tube in the bottom of said reservoir, a valve structure within the reservoir and carried upon the upper end of said tube, said valve structure comprising parallel plates and an interposed horizontally swinging gate, said plates having alined openings therein and said gate having an orifice adapted to register alternately with said openings and with said delivery tube.

7. A fluid-charging apparatus comprising a body portion providing a reservoir for-a fluid, a delivery tube in the bottom of said reservoir, a valve structure within the reservoir and carried upon the upper end of said tube, said valve structure comprising parallel plates and an interposed horizontally swinging 'gate, sai plates Shaving 1- assesses having alined openings therein and said gate having an orifice adapted to register alternatively with said openings and with said delivery tube, and operating means forsaid gate comprising a yoke 4parallel thereto and having depending rods and cam bar parallel to each other and lvpassing through the valve structure, one of said rods constituting a hinge for 'the gate and said 'cam bar having a cam slot for swinging said 10 gate on its hinge from one position to the other.

PAUL E. VMOES. MCHAEL E. MCGOW'AN. 

